Awesome Marriage Podcast

Statistically, odds are not good for a couple processing grief together. Today Kerry and Chris Shook join Dr. Kim on the podcast. In this powerfully encouraging episode, they share how they handled a painful season of grief losing their grandson, Jude, who lived just one day on earth, and how they were shaped, along with their family, through the loss. Kerry and Chris are pastors and co-authors of...

The Christmas season is like no other! Today we're sharing some ways we love to celebrate, our favorite traditions, past mistakes and mishaps, and how we have handled some of the challenges of the season. Plus we get to hear from two very special guests – each of our spouses join us for the first time on the podcast!   Episode highlights include:  Knowing when it's time to let go of certain tradit...

Today we're tackling some of the really tough questions that listeners have submitted. We love answering listener questions, and Dr. Kim often answers one at the end of our episodes. This episode is a little different, since these are all questions that warrant more than a quick answer. While there are some hard realities, we also believe that there is hope for every marriage. Wherever your marria...

Research shows that 69% of marital conflict is never resolved. We either sweep it under the rug, avoid the pain points, or get stuck in a cycle of conflict that may cause pain but not find resolution. Today Dr. Kim talks with special guest Anne Nelson, about the 4-stage process to break the fight cycle and heal your marriage from conflict. Anne is a Christian counselor who helps couples and indivi...

Today Dr. Kim welcomes return guests Levi and Jennie Lusko to the podcast. In this episode, they talk about their new book, The Marriage Devotional, and answer why they wrote a marriage devotional, how that process affected their marriage, the power of scripture in marriage gift God gave us, and much more! Don't miss this deeply encouraging episode!  Episode highlights include:  Why there is power...

What are some of the major mistakes we hope couples avoid during dating and engagement? Today we're talking all about unrealistic expectations. How can we tell when our expectations are unrealistic, and what can we do to keep them from becoming an issue in our relationships?  This one trips up about every couple at some point, so even if you're married, this episode will be helpful to recognize, a...

What are some of the major mistakes we hope couples avoid during dating and engagement? Today we're talking about what it means to focus on the wrong things. What are they, and why are we saying they're wrong? In Dr. Kim's counseling experience, he's seen some things that are just not helpful for engaged couples, so today he's telling us some of the things he sees engaged couples focusing on that...

  What are some of the major mistakes we hope couples avoid during dating and engagement? Today we're looking at a big one: Ignoring red flags. Thankfully, Dr. Kim has counseled so many engaged couples over the years, and has created our Preparing For Marriage online course. So today he sheds light on several common red flags and how to deal with them. Spoiler alert: No matter where you are today,...

"The storms will hit. It's not a threat, it's just a reality ," as Gary Thomas shares with us today. When they do, we want our marriages to be a refuge where we take comfort. In this episode, Gary Thomas tells us how to make sure your marriage is a safe haven for you and your spouse, rather than a source of pain and conflict. His latest book tells real-life stories of marriages that overcame hards...

Have you gotten bad marriage advice? We sure have! We've heard so many things that just aren't helpful for marriage, but we didn't always realize it! Trying to follow a harmful piece of marriage will damage your marriage over time. So today we call out bad marriage advice, give ways to prevent yourself from falling prey to it, and help you determine what's good advice, and what's worth tossing out...

Men and women tend to view intimacy differently, so it takes intentionality to understand one another well. We want to help the wives out this week by looking at 3 ways to do intimacy his way. How can you build these into marriage? Today's episode will help you bring intimacy from idea into action. Tune in to learn more!  Episode highlights include:  One fun way to keep the "spark" alive The destr...

Men and women typically view intimacy differently, and it takes intentionality to understand one another well. We want to help the husbands out this week by looking at 3 ways to do intimacy her way. This episode is worth repeating since it answers one of the toughest parts of marriage.  How can you build these into marriage? Today's episode will help you bring intimacy from idea into action. Tune...

Are you part of a blended family? Having a blended family brings unique challenges and that's why we're so thankful for our friends Scott and Vanessa Martindale sharing their wisdom on the topic today! Scott and Vanessa founded Blended Kingdom Families, where they offer practical strategies and Biblical encouragement for blended families. Don't miss this helpful episode!    Episode highlights incl...

What did you hope for and dream of when you got married? Is your marriage all you dreamed it would be? For so many, it is not. It's easy to think it might be easier for other couples, but a good marriage takes time, energy, and hard work. There's hope for your marriage no matter where you are today, because as Dr. Kim shares with us, God hasn't given up on any marriage!    Episode highlights inclu...

{ Editor's Note: Audio was repaired 11/2023. } So much of life is not what happens to us, but how we respond to it. Life is hard and it never seems to go exactly according to our plans. My grandad said that we all have the choice to either get bitter, or get better. And he lived out what it looks like to get better, even in the face of all of life's troubles. Today Dr. Kim shares what ongoing bitt...

What are the pros and cons of having kids? Can you know if you're really ready? Today Dr. Kim and I discuss how to know and how we each went through that process with our spouse. We share some practical ways to get on the same page with your spouse, as well as some of our favorite parts of being parents. Listen in to learn more!   Episode highlights include:  How we navigated the transitions from...

Matt Hammitt had a successful music career as frontman of the Grammy and Dove-award-winning band Sanctus Real, but he knew God was calling him away from his career and toward something else. The wake up call happened when he started realizing he was not the man he intended to be. Today Matt opens up about the process of following God's lead in leading his family well. Tune in for his encouraging s...

Today we're answering listener-submitted questions about our Healthy Self / Healthy Marriage series. We have talked about physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and they all overlap, so we have questions from every area. There are some really tough ones, so we're going to do our best to give clear and helpful answers today, as Dr. Kim shares great biblical counsel for the questions sen...

Mental health impacts every aspect of our life, so it will certainly impact our marriage. I am so thankful for Dr. Kim's deep experience with this topic! In this episode we covered everything from how to know when to work on things ourselves, when to seek help, and effective but practical ways to boost mental health in everyday life. Tune in to learn more.    Episode highlights include:  How to kn...

The healthiest marriages are between two healthy people. This week we're unpacking why it's so hard to be spiritually healthy without emotional health. The two are linked because a lack of knowing ourselves will seriously hinder our ability to connect with God and others. It's a lot simpler, more accessible, and less touchy-feely than it may sound.  Episode highlights include:  The connection betw...

Today Dr. Kim and I are talking about how physical health impacts a marriage. It turns out we're both passionate about pursuing good stewardship with physical health! Dr. Kim shares some of the struggles he and Nancy have had to deal with and how they worked through them, and I share how going from a mentality of body shame to one of gratitude shifted how I approach physical health.  Episode highl...

Is your marriage full of joy, or does it lack some of the qualities you hoped for? It takes more than just love to make a marriage thrive, and today John David Mann and Ana Gabriel Mann, co-authors of The Go Giver Marriage , share why that is. In The Go Giver Marriage , the Manns share five secrets to lasting love that will help you build a marriage in which both spouses truly thrive.  Episode hig...

We get a lot of questions about how to deal with not being "equally yoked" in marriage, so today Dr. Kim shares tips, encouragement plus some do's and don'ts if you are in this difficult situation. And listen in for a fun new anonymous listener question segment where Dr. Kim drops the mic with his marriage advice for newlyweds!  We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.    Subscrib...

When we get married, we are also marrying into our spouse's family. In laws can be a blessing, but that's not always the case. Today we share real life examples of in-law issues and how couples dealt with them, and give you practical steps to deal with the issues that you might be facing. We know in-law issues run the gamut and so this advice is not one-size-fits-all. So if we missed something you...

We all want to keep our marriage safe from the damaging effects of an affair. There are many tips to doing this, but the one truly essential underlying principle is simpler and more effective than you might think. In today's episode, Dr. Kim shares the top way to prevent an affair, based on his 40 years of experience counseling couples.    We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. ...